What People Think
 |
 |
38% For, 62% Against
Take Action
| Vote on this Bill | |
  |
For |
  |
Against |
| Speak Out | |
  |
Comment on this Bill |
  |
Alert Your Friends and Colleagues |
  |
Write Your Representative in Congress |
| Save & Share | |
 |
del.icio.us |
 |
Digg |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
Yahoo! |
H.R. 2125, The Railroad Competition and Service Improvement Act of 2007
You must be logged in to your WashingtonWatch.com account in order to edit this wiki page.
(Learn how to edit the WashingtonWatch.com wiki.)
Don't have an account? Register for your free account now!
Learn More
Trackback URL: http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/trackback/110_HR_2125.html
RSS Feeds for This Bill
Keep yourself updated on user contributions and debates about this bill! (Learn more about RSS.)
Visitor Comments
John S.
Just trying to get big goverment involved with the railroad indutry again. Why can't they just let things be.
Robert D.
When the railroads were regulated, there were thousands more employees. Deregulation resulted in mergers and cutbacks. Maybe this isn't such a bad idea!
Cecil B.
The railroads have proven that they cannot operate fairly without regulation. They had their opportunity and consistently abused it.
Bill M.
Rail employment fell far more rapidly during the fifties, sixties and seventies while they were regulated. Check the numbers. Traffic declined, equipment and track went downhill. After dereg, prices fell, traffic returned, and maintenance improved. Learn from history!
Derek K.
Maybe playing by the economic rules that the rest of the business world follows will force railroad managers to actually manage. I'd imagine that earning profits due to good ol' fashioned hard work instead of government coddling might go a long way. Besides, the rail industry is here to stay... the companies that control it, well, let the competition begin.
I could give a crap less what the ramifications are for the industry. Slowdown in traffic? Maybe temporarily, but the demand will spur competition, new industry leaders, and new jobs. Isn't that what competition is all about. Save the railroad sob story for someone who cares.
LOUIS WEINBERG
REGULATION BROUGHT YOU THE PENNCENTRAL BANKRUPTCY, THE END OF RAILROAD PASSENGER TRAINS,CONRAIL BECAUSE OF 6 BANKRUPTIES, THE END OF CN&W, MILWAUKEE, ROCK ISLAND, WESTERN PACIFIC, ETC. FINALLY IN 1980, STAGGERS DE REGULATED THEM. IT TOOK THEM 20 YEARS TO GET IT BACK TO WHAT IT IS NOW FOR CLASS I'S. GOVERNMENT CHARGES THEM FUEL TAX FOR HIGHWAYS AND AIRPORTS. NO GOV'T AGENCY HANDS THEM A DIME FOR INFRASTRUCTURE.
PEOPLE, GET EDUCATED BEFORE COMPLAINING. THE BUSINESS OF RR'S NOW IS BUSINESS, NOT JUST RUNNING TRAINS. NEW, SMARTER, MORE RESPONSIVE MANAGERS. (UNION WORKERS WILL NEVER STOP BITCHING, IT'S THE MINDSET) DO THEY NEED MORE SAFETY (HR2095?) YES, DOES AMERICA NEED THIS? NO!!!
DEREK, HOW NEW COMPETITION?, YOU CAN'T RUN YOUR TRAINS ON MY TRACK, YOU HAVE TO BUILD YOUR OWN AT A MILLION DOLLARS A MILE! THEY ARE NOT GOV'T OWNED HIGHWAYS PAD BY PUBLIS, THEY ARE TRACK PAID FOR BY THE RAILROAD AND NO ONE ELSE.
Derek K.
Louis, you must be under the false impression that competitors would balk at paying 1Mil/mile to build their own tracks.
Have you seen the revenues reported... and projected for that matter... of major class 1s? If you are trying to imply that the government (national, state, and local) doesn't provide significant financial benefits, tax incentives, etc to railroads you are out of your mind. If you think that since the govt does not explicitly hand out these benefits for infrastructure, that it is not connected, then you must wear a helmet and drink your food through a straw.
Tony L
You people that are for regulation are insane. Do you not know the history? Let's see - 20% of the industry operating under the protection of bankruptcy, 1/3 of the shippers unhappy with service, accidents increasing nearly 400% in 10 years because they didn't have the capital to make improvements. That's what you want? And don't give me the "rates are unfair" business. They are lower now than were under regulation. Do your homework people!!!
Eric D
The only people that are getting good rail service these days are the ones that are shipping in 100 car units. It really makes it hard for the small to midsize industries ordering 10-50 cars in to their plant siding a day -you don't know if you're going to get switched on a given day. Let alone if you are a small industry wanting main line rail access, not going to happen unless your an upstart nuclear power plant.